


I'd like to rearrange your latitude to me

by Flavortext



Category: Friends at the Table (Podcast)
Genre: Other, balence really rules huh, but it counts - Freeform, i have a whole notes app note titled 'cloud sex' now and im not sorry, regrettably this is more robot sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:35:21
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,932
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25124008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flavortext/pseuds/Flavortext
Summary: “I want to enact my vision for this, yes. I don’t know that I can hold up to the pressure, though,” they admit. Broun takes another sip of wine.“I think you’re sturdier than you look,” Broun says firmly. Valence chuckles. They took off their robe when they got to their room, they’d spilled some ink on it when trying to fix a pen. Their robot body is lithe, a cheap model really, and certainly not sturdy. They glance down at themselves for a moment.“Oh, this is probably weird for you.” They say suddenly.
Relationships: Kal'mera Broun/Valence
Comments: 6
Kudos: 33





	I'd like to rearrange your latitude to me

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote down the idea for this a while ago so it’s totally moot now, but.... I just think that they-

Valance adamantly turns down the concept of a celebration after the election. There’s too much to deal with immediately, unrest to manage, decisions to make. They don’t even bother to rest for a few days, working through the night beside a few breaks to eat and charge. 

Broun doesn’t notice until the third day. They keep them busy, giving tasks, having them design a new poster to hang up, and- a part of them doesn’t want to admit, sending them on a few random tasks just to keep them out of the room. 

Like everything else they do, it works until it doesn’t. Valence finally runs out of things to do and decides to give themself a break. They retire to their room, ask for some food to be brought down, and sit on the cot in the dark. 

They manage not to curse when the person who opens the door is Broun. They sit with their hands in their lap, tilting their head to the side as they slip inside and shut the door behind them. _Presumptuous_. They want to say. It comes out too fond in their head. They worry Broun heard it. They don’t let on if they did. 

“I brought wine, too,” Broun says softly, holding out the bottle. Their eyes flash with something as they look at Valence in the darkness. Valence gets to their feet. 

“I can’t really drink.” They go to the wall and flick on the lights, a little blinding at first. Broun blinks, frowning. 

“Well, I can, so,” Broun sets the plate of food- some kind of curry- on Valences table, littered with fliers and paperwork. Valence chuckles. Broun blinks in the light and keeps giving them a look they can’t place.

“What is it you want to discuss?” They ask, pulling out the second small wooden chair for them. Broun fumbles their hands sets down the wine and sits. Valence pulls out their own chair and does the same. 

“Nothing, I just thought, you know.” Broun gestures between them both, at the food and the wine and the papers all over the table. Valence makes their mask blink. It’s a good tactic they’ve learned for getting someone to keep explaining things they don’t get. “I thought it would be nice to celebrate,” Broun admits, sounding a little disappointed. Valence sighs. 

“It would... I’m not sure I feel like there's been something worth celebrating.” They admit. They pick up a spoon and poke at the curry. Broun _really_ frowns at that. 

“But- you _won_.” They insist, picking up the wine again. It’s got a screw top and they take a sip straight from the bottle. Their throat bobs and Valence tracks it, spoon half raised. 

“And things are still just as tense and full of uncertainty as they were. It’s just all on my shoulders now.” Valence says a little bitterly. Broun narrows their eyes. 

“But you wanted this.” They insist. Valence takes a bite of the curry. It’s not _good_ , but they take another before responding. 

“I want to enact my vision for this, yes. I don’t know that I can hold up to the pressure, though,” they admit. Broun takes another sip of wine. 

“I think you’re sturdier than you look,” Broun says firmly. Valence chuckles. They took off their robe when they got to their room, they’d spilled some ink on it when trying to fix a pen. Their robot body is lithe, a cheap model really, and certainly not sturdy. They glance down at themselves for a moment. 

“Oh, this is probably weird for you.” They say suddenly. They’re pretty much naked, not that there’s anything to cover up, really, but they _usually_ wear clothes. Broun half-scoffs, looking away. 

“It’s fine, I-”

“I can change, uh,” They go to get up, and Broun puts a hand on theirs, presses their fingers into the table. 

“Just eat, you haven’t left the office in days,” Broun says earnestly. So, they noticed. Valence sighs again and sits, pulling their hand back away to pick up the spoon. 

“I’ve been eating.” They deflect, taking another bite. Broun looks a little relieved at that. 

“Good, I just- I worry.” They wave their hand a little and drink again. 

“That’s sweet of you.” Valence says slowly. 

“You’re sweet,” Broun says it too quickly, a little louder than would be casual like they’d thought of it before. They blush, matching their scales. Valence can’t help but grin and chuckle. 

“Thank you,” They say softly, taking another bite before setting their spoon down, resting their hand on the table. Broun looks at it pointedly. 

“I’m sorry I’m not more...confident. I envy that in you.” Valence says carefully. Broun looks alarmed. 

“You think I’m confident?” They ask, disbelieving. Valence shrugs. 

“You believed in me, you were sure of your ability to help me win. You’re doing the whole pirate thing.” _You can talk in my head. You came here, tonight._ Valence doesn’t add those out loud. Broun blinks at them. 

_Yeah, I guess I did._ They tap their fingers on the table, a few inches away from Valence’s resting hand. They’re still holding the wine, but their grip on it is loose, half-forgotten. 

_How do you do it?_ They ask, leaning back in their chair. Broun settles back too, abandoning the wine, and their foot kicks out, brushes against Valence’s. 

_Around you? Or in general._ They ask back. Their lips twitch a tiny bit with the words, just a fraction, but Valence catches it. 

_Both, I guess._ They respond. Broun smiles. 

_Fake it ‘till you make it, mostly._ They say, shrugging. Valence narrows their eyes. 

_That sounds hard._ They say. Broun shrugs again. 

_Can be, depends on who’s around._ They say. Valence’s fingers tense on the table. 

_And around me?_ They ask softly. Broun blinks at them. 

“Around you it’s easy.” They say, chuckling a little. Valence almost feels like they should be offended. 

_Why’s that?_ They ask, frowning. Broun is blushing again. 

“‘Cause you do this- you do this thing with your ears? When I say stuff like that.” They hold their hands up over their head and wiggle their fingers. Valence squints at them. 

“I do what?” They touch their ears a little self consciously. Broun snorts. 

“They twitch, like-” Broun does the motion with their fingers again. Valence tries to copy it. They don’t feel like they usually even have that much control over their _ears,_ consciously. They can make their mask smile or blink, and they know their expressions are fairly natural, but they’ve never thought much about the ears. 

_Don’t be embarrassed._ Broun says silently, dropping their hands back to the table. Valence rubs at their mask still. 

_I’m not._ Valence says firmly. Broun chuckles. 

_It’s cute. I like that I can make you-_ Broun cuts themself off, blushing more. Valence focuses and okay, maybe their ears do a little shiver. They drop their hands quickly back to the table. 

_It’s just nice to see you react._ Broun says with a huff. Valence glares at their food for a moment, twisting around inside their chamber in the suit to work off the energy. They look back up at Broun after a moment. 

_Well, you’re cute when you blush, so we’re even._ They say firmly. Broun giggles, hand going up to their hair, tucking it out of the way. 

_God, Valence. Okay._ Broun worries their lip between their teeth. _What are we doing here?_ They ask, hand reaching out to brush against Valence’s on the table. Valence doesn’t totally know how to respond, blinking again. _Because like, I like you, and we’re super busy, and this feels so silly but-_ Broun cuts themself off, shaking their head. 

_I think we can do whatever we want, for now._ Valence says slowly. Broun looks back up at them. 

“Oh?” Broun says softly. 

_I mean, yeah, we’re busy. But I have personal time. For you._ Valence knows it sounds cheesy, but Broun giggles again and they don’t _care_. 

_Okay, I- I like the sound of that._ Broun breathes out, fingers still touching Valence’s. 

“Good, okay.” Valence chuckles too, feeling a little giddy. Broun smiles at them, blushing still. 

“Ugh, can I even kiss you?” Broun groans, looking Valence over. Valence touches their mask with a frown. 

“I mean... yes? I don’t know how much I can kiss back. Without it being weird.” They say sadly. Broun gives a thoughtful nod. 

“What about,” They make a motion in front of their face. Valence takes a second and then gets it, standing up suddenly. 

“I can try that.” They say quickly. They come around to Broun’s side and kneel. Broun watches, rapt. Valence pulls off their mask and sets it on the table, pressing the button that releases their faceplate, and placing their hands gently on Brouns again before they float just a little out, halfway to Broun’s face. Broun breaths in and out, not too deep. 

_You can’t inhale me. I kinda- stick together?_ They don’t know a better phrase to explain it, but it relieves Broun of some of the anxious look on their face. 

_Okay, um, I can... touch you?_ Broun asks slowly, lifting their hand so Valence’s fingers fall into their lap. Valence bobs up and down, an approximation of a nod. Broun brushes their fingers through them, just a graze, really, and shivers.

_You’re warm._ They say, in awe. Valence chuckles. 

_So are you._ They reply. Broun crinkles their nose. 

_So you feel me?_ They do it again, brushing their fingers over the edge of Valence’s form. 

_I- Only a bit, to be honest._ They press back towards Broun’s hand, twirling around their fingers. Broun gasps a little. _It works a little differently between Nobel._

_So you don’t-_ Broun looks a little disappointed, hand dropping down from Valence’s form. Valence shakes back and forth. 

_Not like that, no_. They say. Broun nods, collecting themself. They stay touching Valence’s physical arm. 

_I can still- erm._ Valence sinks back a little, to control their body, and holds out their hand, flexing their fingers. The hands of their body aren’t from the original model, they’d gotten upgraded ones, better for working in a mech, writing, fine motor. Sex hadn’t made that list in the initial consideration, but they assume it will do the job. Broun licks their lips. 

“Put your face back on.” They say, voice a little high. Valence shivers and nods, scrambling a bit to close their face panel and grab the mask. They fit it back on while Broun takes their hand, running their calloused fingers over the smooth synthetic skin. “Yeah, that'll do.” 

_That_ sends a shiver through Valence, and they’re pretty sure they make a noise. Broun smirks, pulling them to their feet as they stand. Valence stumbles a little into them. 

_Easy._ Broun shushes them, reaching up and fixing their mask a little. Their fingers linger, thumbs pressed into Valence's cheeks. They peck a kiss between their eyes. Valence huffs. 

Broun inspects Valence’s bed for a brief moment before throwing themself onto it, sitting back against the wall and pulling Valence into the space between their legs. Valence arranges themself cross-legged and lets Broun take their hands. 

_You’re okay with this, right?_ Broun asks, eyes level. Valence nods quickly, squeezing their hands. 

_Anything- anything you want._ They say earnestly. Broun’s eyes flare a little.

 _That could mean a lot of things._ They say carefully. Valence nods. 

_I’m open to interpretation. You mean a lot to me._ They smile, and Broun blushes, echoing it. 

“Geez, I shouldn’t have given you advice.” They shake their head, then lean it back against the wall. They drop a hand to their chest. “I’m- I’m a bit overdressed, don’t you think?” They ask, eyes twinkling. Valence stammers. 

“Yes-” _I can help with that._ They reach forward and pause briefly at the fold of Broun’s jacket. Broun nods and helps Valence shrug it off. Valence leans back to hang it off the bedpost of their bed. Broun gives them a fond look. They have a loose tanktop on under the jacket, no bra, like usual. Their pants are chunky, full of pockets. Valence rests a hand on their thigh and leans forward to touch the side of their face. Broun nuzzles into the touch. 

_Go ahead, Valence._ They urge, wiggling their hips a little. Valence nods strokes Broun’s cheek again and then drops their hand to Broun’s hip. Broun lifts them and helps Valence slide their pants off, kicking one leg all the way out so they can be cast to the side. Impatient, they pull off their underwear too, before Valence can even finish lightly folding their pants off to the side. They turn back and freeze, a little, with Broun bare before them. Valence presses their fingers into Broun’s thighs to ground themself. Broun smirks. 

_Take your time._ They say softly, brushing one hand over Valence’s face again while their other goes to their chest. Valence wants to watch _that_ , but they’re pretty sure they’ll be unable to do anything else if they do, so they focus their vision down, at the dark hair between Broun’s legs, and reach a hand slowly forward. Broun shifts their legs open, even more, humming encouragement, and Valence slowly spreads them open, squinting with focus. Broun breaths deeply and drops their hand from their face to the hand on their thigh, holding gently. Valence strokes their thumb between Broun’s folds experimentally. Broun’s breath hitches. 

_Okay, that feels good?_ Valence checks in, waiting to do it again. 

_Yes._ Broun sighs as Valence repeats the motion, rolling their hips up a little into the touch. They’re not too wet, but enough to leave Valence’s hand sticky. Valence does it again and then presses their thumb down in an approximation of where they think they should. Broun hisses out a breath and bucks their hips. Valence reaches out with their mind, chasing the feeling, and catches a bit of it. They shudder. Broun gasps a little. 

_You can feel what I feel?_ They ask, voice excited. Valence looks up at them. 

_To a certain extent. Just strong stuff, on the surface._ They say, drawing a small circle with their thumb. Broun sighs again and they’re able to catch some of the feelings. 

_C-Cool._ Broun slips a hand up under their own shirt, squeezing Valence’s hand on their thigh. _Keep going._ They urge, eyes fluttering closed. Valence focuses in again, stroking and pressing in random patterns, listening, and reaching out for that feeling. Broun reaches out in return, giving as much as they can, so much that Valence’s hand slips, their body shaking with it, almost overwhelmed. 

_Sorry-_ Broun whimpers as Valence speeds up, shaking their head. 

_I like it, it’s okay._ Valence assures, and Broun nods, easing up a bit on their end but relaxing more into their touch. Their toes curl in the sheets. 

_It’s been a while since I did this, ah-_ Broun gasps, gripping Valence’s wrist on their leg. Valence slows a bit, tilting their head. _I just mean I’m not going to last long, it’s okay._ Broun bites their lip and closes their eyes again. Valence nods, turning their hand to intertwine with Brouns and scooting forward, nudging Broun’s legs wider with their knees. Broun goes willingly, free hand falling out to their side, grabbing at the sheets. Valence strokes them quickly, glad they have no muscles in their hand to worry about cramping up. Broun shakes a little, making a noise in the back of their throat. 

“Oh- Valence, fuck.” They say out loud, and Valence feels their ears twitch this time, flicking back and forth at the sound. Broun rolls their hips, squirming under Valence’s firm touch. They whimper again, clutching Valence’s hand and the sheets. Valence drinks up the sensation they give off, feeling their cloud form pressed up against all sides of their glass. Broun falls apart all at once in an instant, with a strangled shout and gasp. Valence falls forward as the feeling rushes through them, catching themself on Broun’s chest and having to take a moment to adjust their control of their limbs. Broun shivers and shakes under them, legs hooked tight around Valence’s sides. They blink their eyes open as it passes, and give them a lazy grin. 

_That was-_ Valence gasps, blinking with their mask to shake the feeling away. 

_Yeah._ Broun giggles, slumping against the wall. Valence slowly maneuvers them onto their side, tucking themself alongside them. 

_A good way to spend out ‘personal time’?_ Valence smiles at them, noses almost touching. Broun smiles and nods, brushing a hand against their cheek. 

_I think so, if you’re up for it._ They say softly. Valence nuzzles into their fingers. Broun sighs softly, ducking their forehead to press against Valence’s nose. Valence rests a hand lightly on Broun’s hip, their legs already tangled together of their own accord. Broun’s breath is steady. 

_We’ll figure this out._ Valence says firmly. Broun nods slightly. 

_I have faith in you._ They say, and Valence knows they mean it. They shiver again. 

_Can I sleep here?_ Broun asks shyly. 

_Of course._ Valence shifts a little, lifting a blanket out from under them to go over Broun. _I might get up in a bit. But you can stay._ They rest their hand over them again softly. 

_Okay, just don’t work too much._ Broun murmurs, snuggling closer to Valence. Valence nods, tucking their chin on top of Broun’s head. They both sigh. Valence holds Broun as they drift off, the hum of Icebreaker around them. 

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! I've finally found my ability to write again (hopefully!) so if you want to send any prompts in to transfjord on tumblr I'm happy to see what I can do!


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